Building structure



F. L. NEMEC BUILDING STRUCTURE May 16, 1 933.

Filed Dec. 14. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet May 16, 1933. F. L. NEMEC 1,909,547

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Deb. 14, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN NTOR FRANK A... MEG

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ATTORNEYS Patented May 16, 1933 FRANK L. NEIVIEC, OF IiEINN EAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO (KR. CONKEY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, IaIINNESO'lA BUILDING STRUCTURE Application filed December 14, 1931. Serial No. 580,784.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in building structures, and more particularly to structures adapted for use in the storage of grain at railroad terminals and grain distributing points, such as shown in my copending application, Serial No. 464,880, filed June 30, 1930.

An object of the invention is to provide a building structure comprising a plurality of exterior walls each composed of a series of connected buttresses mounted upon and secured to suitable lateraily extending footings or foundations whereby said walls are adapted to resist the tendency towards overturning,

\ due to lateral outward forces exerted thereagainst as a result of material stored in the building, said buttresses and footings also being adapted to resist the overturning tendency of said walls as a result of the horizontal forces exerted thereagainst by flexible catenary roof elements secured to the upper portions thereof. I

A further object is to provide a grain storage structure, the walls of which are composed of a series of connected together semicylindrical members having their. open sides facing inwardly, and said walls being supported upon and secured to suitable foundations extending beyond the sides thereof and adapted to resist lateral forces exerted thereagalinst and tending to over-turn said walls.

ag-estructu're, the walls of which are so constr cted as to be substantially self-supporting and adapted to resist both inward and outward forces exerted thereagainst, and a central wall extending through the structure and towering above the outer walls thereof to provide a central support for a roof,

, A further object is to provide a. structure of the class described comprising a plurality of outer walls each provided with a plurality of buttresses, whereby the effective thicknesses of said walls at their bottoms is increased, said walls being mounted upon and secured to suitable slab-like foundations having portions extending beyond the sides of their respective walls into the building and outwardly beyond the outer faces of the walls, the portions of said foundations exfurther object is to provide a grain stor tending into the building being adapted to support a portion of the material stored in the'building whereby the weight of the material will assist in preventing the wall from overturning, due to the outward pressure e said outer walls so as to provide a central support for the catenary elements supporting the roof, said catenary elements having their ends suitably secured to the upper portions of the side walls of the structure and said catenary elements. Y

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is'to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a building constructed in accordance with the invention Figure 2 is a sectional plan view showing the preferred construction and arrangement of the walls of the building;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the manner of mounting the Walls upon the foundation and securing them thereto;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view showing one of the anchors for securing the catenary roof elements to the side walls of the building.

The novel building structure featured in this invention is shown comprising a pair of end walls 2-2 and side walls 3-3. Each side Wall comprises a plurality of semi-cylindrical members 4i, preferably formed as shown in Figure 2, and joined together by suitable inwardly directed buttresses 5. The members 4 and buttresses 5 are mounted upon suitable foundations 6 preferably extending laterally beyond opposite sides of the walls, as best shown in Figure 3. To these foundations, the members 4 and buttresses 5 are secured by suitable anchor belts or rods 7. These anchor rods have their lower ends em bedded in the foundations 6 and are provided at their upper ends with suitable hook-shaped ieads 9, whereby the buttresses and semicylindrical members 4 are securely anchored to the foundations 6.

The end walls 2-2 of the structure are similarly shaped and comprise a plurality of semi-cylindrical members 11 having inwardly directed buttresses 1:2. The members 11 and buttresses 12 are similarly supported upon and secured to the end foundations 15, where by these Walls are also resistant against lat eral strains.

Because of the magnitude of the building, a central wall 13 is provided which extends lengthwise through the structure and is shown composed of a plurality of cylindrical tanks 14:, all of which are connected together and thus divide the entire structure into two sections indicated at A and B. The central wall 13 preferably towers above the upper portions of the outer walls 2 and 3 to provide means for supporting a catenary roof.

The catenary roof is formed in the usual manner and comprises a plurality of flexible catenary elements 16 having their terminals secured in suitable anchor blocks 17 which in turn are adjustably secured by rods 18 longitudinally extending raised portions 19 provided upon the upper portions of the side walls 33 as best shown in Figure 3. Suitable channel irons 21 are seated against the vertical walls 22 of the raised portions 19 provided at the upper portions of the side walls 83, and to these channels the outer ends of the rods 18 are secured by suitable angle brackets 23 and bolts 24-, as shown in Figure 4. The channels 21 may be secured to the walls by suitable anchor bolts 25.

The intermediate portions of the catenary roof elements 16 are suitably supported upon the intermediate wall 13, composed of the tanks 14. Suitable roofing plates 27 are suitably secured to the catenary roof elements 16, as indicated in Figures 1 and 3.

In general praetice, the semi-cylindrical wall members 11, constituting the end walls of the building, preferably have their upper ends arranged in stepped relation, as shown in Figure 1, to facilitate erection of the building. The gaps provided between the upper ends of the wall members 11 and the catenary roof, are then filled in with suitable material to complete the formation of the end walls, as indicated at 28 and 29 in Figure 1.

To further minimize an tendency of the side walls towards over-turning in an inward direction, as a result of the horizontal forces exerted thereon by the catenary roof elements 16, the lower outer portions of the side walls are preferably banked with dirt or some other suitable material, as indicated at 31, in Figures 1 and 3, thereby positively preventing the walls from tipping inwardly, it being understood that the walls are securely anchored to the foundations by metallic ties, as is common in concrete construction work.

The outward tipping of the side and end walls of the structure as a result of the horizontal forces exerted thereagainst by the material stored in the building is resisted by reason of the wall members 1 and 11 being rigidly secured to the slab foundations 6 and 15, respectively, and because of the fact that a portion of the weight of the material stored in the structure will be supported upon these foundations. This will be clearly understood by reference to Figure 3.

A runway 32, of ordinary construction, may he provided at the ridge of the structure for conveying the grain lengthwise of the building from a suitable elevator 33, preferably mounted at one end of the structure. The conveying apparatus which usually is housed within vthe runway 32 and upright structure 83, may be of ordinary construction, and it is therefore thought unnecessary to show the same in detail.

In the drawings, I have shown the wall elements 4 and 11 as being semi-cylindrical in cross-section, and facing inwardly, but it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to this particular shape and arrangement, as obviously the wall elements may be oppositely arranged from that shown so that they face outwardly, and their cross-sectional shapes may also be varied without departing from the scope of the invention. 1 prefer to make them semi-cylindrical in crosssection to facilitate erection, and also because an arched wall provides maximum strength.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a building structure including a pair of oppositely disposed walls having a flexible roof secured to the upper portions thereof and suspended therebetween in a catenary curve, each of said walls comprising a plurality of spaced apart buttresses, foundations for supporting said walls and means for securing the walls to said foundations, said foundations extending laterally beyond their respective walls and adapted to resist the over-turning tendency of said walls due to the horizontal reactions of said catenary roof elements.

2. In a building structure including walls having a flexible roof secured to the upper portions thereof and suspended therebetween in a catenary curve, each of said walls comprising a series of inwardly facing semi-cylindrical members rigidly connected together to provide a unitary structure, and foundations for said walls having lateral extensions projecting beyond opposite sides of said walls and adapted to resist the over-turning tendency of said walls due to the horizontal reactions of said catenary roof elements.

3. In a building structure, a plurality of walls forming the outer walls thereof, an intermediate wall extending through the structure and towering above the outer walls thereof, a flexible roof supported on said walls and suspended therebetween in catenary curves, counterfeit extensions on the side walls of said structure forming buttresses therefor, and relatively wide slab-lilre foundations for supporting said walls, said foundations extending laterally beyond the opposite sides of their respective Walls and adapted to resist the over-turning tendency of the walls due to the horizontal reactions of said flexible catenary roof elements, and also due to outward forces exerted thereagainst by material stored within the structure.

4:- In a building structure, a plurality of walls forming the outer walls thereof, each of said walls being formed with a series of buttresses mounted upon and secured to suitable slab-like foundations having lateral extensions projecting beyond the sides of said walls, an intermediate wall extending through the structure and towering above the outer walls and suitably connected to the end walls of the structure, a flexible roof supported upon said outer and intermediate walls and suspended therebetween in catenary curves the lateral extensions of said side walls extending into the structure being adapted to support a portion of the weight of the material stored therein whereby the weight of the material will assist in preventing the walls from over-turning as a result of outward forces exerted thereagainst by the material stored in the building, and the outwardly extending portions of said foundations being adapted to be covered with a suitable material banked against the outer lower portions of the walls to prevent the walls from tipping inwardly as a result of the horizontal reactions of said catenary roof elements.

5. In a building structure, a plurality of walls forming the outer walls of said structure, each of said walls comprising a series of semi-cylindrical members mounted upon suitable foundations having lateral extensions projecting beyond said walls, an intermediate wall extending through the structure and towering above the side walls thereof and suitably connected to the end walls of the structure, said intermediate wall being composed of a series of cylindrical bins, a flexible roof supported upon said outer and intermediate walls and suspended thereb'etween in catenary curves, and said semi-cylindrical wall members being securely anchored to said foundations whereby the over-turning tendency of said side walls as a result of lateral forces, exerted thereagainst, is resisted,

6. Abuilding wall comprising a plurality of inwardly facing, semi-cylindrical members integrally connected together lengthwise of the wall and having their connected portions extending laterally from the medial plane of the wall and forming a series of spaced buttresses, and a suitable foundation for supporting said wall and to which it is securely anchor-ed to resist overturning thereof, said semi-cylindrical members forming a plurality of arches in which the stresses imparted thereto from the outward pressure of the material stored in the building, will be in tension.

7 A building wall of reinforced concrete comprising a plurality of inwardly facing, semi-cylindrical members integrally connected together lengthwise of'the wall and having their connected portions extending laterally from the medial plane of the wall and forming a series of spaced buttresses, a foundation for supporting said wall having portions extending laterally beyond opposite sides thereof, means for securely anchoring said wall to said foundation to resist overturning thereof, said semi-cylindrical members forming a plurality of arches in which the stresses imparted thereto from the outward pressure of the material stored in the building, will be in tension.

8. A grain storage structure comprising oppositely arranged exterior walls having suitable foundations and provided with grain receptacles opening into the space between said walls, a plurality of bins extending through said structure and forming a wall intermediate to said exterior opposing walls and extending above the level of said exterior walls, and a flexible roof secured to opposing exterior walls of the structure and supported by said intermediate wall in catenary curves between said intermediate wall and said exterior walls.

9. A grain storage structure comprising oppositely arranged exterior walls having suitable foundations and provided with grain receptacles opening into the space between said walls, a plurality of bins extending through said structure and forming a wall intermediate to said exterior opposing walls and extending above the level of said exterior walls, and a flexible roof secured to opposing exterior walls of the structure and supported by said intermediate wall in catenary curves between said intermediate wall and said exterior walls, and means whereby said exterior walls will resist the over-turning tendency resulting from horizontal pressure thereon.

10. A grain storage structure comprising oppositely arranged exterior walls having suitable foundations and providing a pair of facing receptacles, means for supporting said walls in vertical position, a plurality of bins extending through said structure and forming a wall intermediate to said exterior opposing walls and extending above the level of said exterior walls, and a flexible roof secured to opposing exterior walls of the structure and supported by said intermediate wall in catenary curves between said intermediate wall and said exterior walls.

11. A grain storage structure comprising oppositely arranged exterior walls having suitable foundations and providing a pair of facing grain receptacles, means for supporting said Walls in vertical position, a wall extending through said structure intermediate to said exterior opposing walls and extending above the level of said exterior walls, and a flexible roof secured to opposing exterior walls of the structure and supported by said intermediate wall in catenary curves between said intermediate wall and said exterior walls.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of December 1931.

FRANK L. NEMEC. 

